New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-25
WHAT CONGRESS rs DOING.

One week from to-day the session and the
XLIXth Congress will end, and the state OF
legislation is not encouraging. Many hopes
were INDUCED that at this session, after the
political struggle last fall, important measures
for the business interests of the country would
be enacted. What Congress has done. and Is
likely to do, will be most Disappointing. he
gardng tho silver question nothing has been
done, or is likely to be done, and any danger
arising from continued coinage for another
wear must he avcrted, If at all, as danger has
been thus far. by combination OF circum-
stances which Government has no power 10
bring about. If foreign trade continues such
that gold does not 60 abroad to settle com
mercial balances, and if foreign confidence Ill
American investments continues such that cap
ia comes hitler in large amounts, an accum-
uIatjon of silver that cannot he used may IN
yolye no present harm to business or industry
But no one can be sure that these conditions
will remain, and the uncertainty must limit
the tendency TO improvement.
IL 10 still uncertain how far the surplus
revenue for the next fiscal year will have been
dssipated by increased appropriations. Large
" increased appropriations are certain, some
most unwise, while others are for proper OBJ
iccts but not even the committees in charge
of appropriation bills will be able to determine
at the close of the session how much money has
been voted away, because of some pension and
other bills the effect Of which cannot be exact
ly anticipated. One good thing, however, can
be reasonably forcseen The surplus during the
Ave months of the next fiscal year, which Will
elapse before the next Congress meets In De-
cember. will not be as large as was expected.
Probably it will in any case be so far reduced
that the temporary withdrawal OF money from
circulation may worl, no serious harm, il the
next Congress promptly makes provision re-
garding the rest of the fiscal year.
The Interstate Commerce bill, which does
ana win do some harm while the good that may
result from it is yet uncertain, and the bill Gre
ating a Department OF Agriculture, if approved
ly the President may turn out the most I'M
,ortant acts Of this unsuccessful session. For
the Retaliation bill, which should have brought
a settlement of difficulties with Canada, and
sbus have secured justice TO the fishing inter
est. is now liable to fail.
What the agricultural bill can do to secure
for farmers better crops or better prices for
their crops. is uncertain. but the resulting in
of its most questionable features is the transfer
of the Weather Bureau 10 a department GER
tain to he not scientific and apt to he eminently
political in its management. Indeed, there
are many chances TO one that cranks OF dem
agogucs will control the proposed department
if created and that neither scientific knowl-
odge nor practical farming will he much pro-
mcted. But there will bc places for moro OF
the hungry and thirsty; some individual Will
have a Cabinet officers title and pay instead
of bureau officers and the taxpayers will pay
tho increased expense, most Of them being
farmers What the Interstate Commerce bill
may possibly mean, the country will he better
able to Judge when the President has appointed
commissioners. But it remains one OF the
great objections to this measure that it creates
grave uncertainties. which cannot he removed
10y the appointment Of a commission, nor by
the action of commissioners, nor even by the
first long-delayod decision of the Supreme
Court on question Of construction. For
manv points will have to be settled by the
courts before the country can know how far
its entire social, industrial and political system
has been modified by this leap in the dark.